I have a RIA 1911 GI model, added custom sights, wilson combat trigger, wrap around grips, extended slide stop. LOVE THIS GUN.
However, when the mag runs empty the slide rarely locks back. I have 5 magazines and have the problem with each. Tried, promag, mec-gar, act mag, some gi mag (no name stamp)
The mag that came with the gun originally worked great but now it fails to lock the slide back which i assume is because it's the mag i've used the most. It stays loaded a lot because it's the one i use for carry. One of the promags locks the slide back sometimes but when it does it's a fluke, maybe 1/15 times it will lock back.
So what is the magazine that's best for my pistol? Money is no object, I want the hands down most reliable best magazine around because i plan to use them for carry and perhaps shooting competitions at some point if i become a better shooter. No $ can be put on a flawless running gun.
Read that Kimber mags and Chip McCormick mags are great too but does anyone have any specific experience? why would one mag work great and another suck royally?

Thanks for any help. And on a side not outside of this mag trouble this gun is an absolute dream. I love to carry it, love to shoot it, love to look at it. Sometimes when I'm at home I get it out and look at it just because it's beautiful. I can not say enough good things about adding wrap around grips and an extended slide stop to the 1911 because it makes it fit the hand about a million times better.

If you have ran that many magazines with problems with both slide stops, you might want to check out the slide stop engagement protruding into the magwell. That, or something else is out of spec in the frame.

If it doesn't lock with decent nagazines, the mags are not the problem.

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Extended slide stops are generally troublesome and generally only used on competition guns. Having said that, I don't think you will find one on a top competitor's gun. A top quality slide stop from Ed Brown or Wilson will likely be the solution to your problem. Don't be fooled by the extended slide stop offered by Wilson. Most of us that have them have ground off almost all of the extension. The magazine follower lifts the slide stop into it's notch on the slide. Doubtful that you have worn out a follower, let alone 5 of them.

Check a few of things. Remove the barrel and check the barrel link to see that it moves freely. Now, put your slide stop through the link and see if is too tight. Then, put the slide stop in the frame and see if it moves freely without the barrel. And lastly, make sure the notch in the back of the slide stop does not have a burr, nor the slide itself, where the two lock. If all of these check good, it is your mags.

A cheap fix for a mag is a Trip kit. They are $7 each and have very strong springs. Only drawback, they will only hold 7 rounds after the install.

Thanks guys. I'll test it again with the original slide stop, then check for burrs and make sure everything fits right. Not using a buffer, should I? Also I might add if you rack the slide by hand it works perfect. Only fails when actually shooting. I've looked inside and moved the slide slowly and played with it a little and it seems clear to me the follower is making contact with the slide stop but I thought maybe wasn't pushing hard enough.
I'll play with it some more and let you guys know if I work anything out

If it works by hand but not when shot, something is preventing the slide from coming full cycle. If you are not running a buffer, maybe the spring is too heavy? I recently had a Commander in that would not cycle fully due to a kink in the spring. Looked like one coil in the center of the spring was kinked and was catching on the lip of the spring guide. New spring fixed it.

Are you referring to the recoil spring? The spring you would remove for a regular cleaning? Its the original that came with the gun. It never has a feed problem or jam of any kind and I'd think you'd have that if the slide didn't rack full length. I'll inspect that tomorrow and possibly order a new one.
I failed to mention earlier that when shooting sometimes I would feel the slide lock back and then ride forward. Like for a nano second it was locked then slipped free and went closed on the empty chamber. Does that mean anything?

How are you gripping the pistol? Is your left thumb anywhere near the slide stop? I have had situations with several different 1911 pistols in which the slide did not lock back because my thumb was contacting the slide stop and keeping it from working. I have also had the slide stop work when it should not because of my thumb. I have had to modify my grip a bit to keep my thumb away from the slide stop.

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